


Complications

by BastetTheWritingCat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Big Bang Challenge, Gen, Memory Loss, Minor Character Death, Non-Graphic Violence, Original Character(s), Past Miraculous Holders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-07 19:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12848169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BastetTheWritingCat/pseuds/BastetTheWritingCat
Summary: Marinette and Adrien were not the first to experience complications with their miraculous, before them others went through similar situations.





	1. Transition

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Enduring](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12828636) by [overworkedunderwhelmed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/overworkedunderwhelmed/pseuds/overworkedunderwhelmed). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A guardian dies and his successor must find the user of the peacock miraculous before is too late for both of them. Set before the creation of the guardian's order.

_China, 100 years before the Order of the Guardians was founded._

 

There was no person Bao adored more than his grandfather. Since he was a child he remembered how after a long day at work or after one of his travels, grandfather Shen would sit at the table with a cold drink and motion for he and his cousins to join him. After that, grandfather Shen would proceed to tell them one of his many stories, stories about magic, adventures and people who could do the impossible.

 

Bao and his cousins would re-enact those stories every time they played together. However, with the passing of time all of them stopped playing heroes and paying attention to the stories. Everyone grew up and followed their paths. Bao and most of his cousins moved from the family house and went to the capital to look for a job. Soon he found his calling in writing. Between that and the small jobs he took here and there he was able to make a life for himself.

 

Still, the thought of his grandfather’s stories being at least a little bit real never truly left his mind; as a result he started writing a book containing everything grandfather Shen once told him. Halfway through the book the news arrived.

 

Grandfather Shen had fallen miraculously ill. He had caught a cold and in the span of a week it had worsened to the point that the doctor wasn't sure he could do anything to make it better. Bao wasn't able to remember a single time in which his grandfather had been sick before.  

 

Taking only the essential alongside the half written book he traveled to his hometown as fast as he could. The trip took almost a week. When Bao arrived his grandfather was on his last moments.

 

“Bao! Thank the Spirits you are finally here! Come on, grandfather is on his room. I think he is just waiting for you now. You and Han were the only ones missing and he arrived just a few minutes ago.” He was led by his aunt to the last room on the left side of the house, his mother and father were sitting outside and his cousin Han was just coming out of the room with a solemn expression on his face.

 

Han approached him and gave him a hug. “It’s good to see you cousin, even if the circumstances are unfortunate. Go inside, he is waiting”. Bao could only nod and after knocking a couple of times on the door he entered the room.

 

He never thought he would see his grandfather like that, he looked as white as a ghost, his breathing was slow and his form thin.

 

“Come on Bao, don't stand there like you are seeing a ghost, come closer”. Shen spoke with difficulty, his voice rusty.

 

Bao walked to the head of the bed quickly and helped Shen drink some water. “You shouldn't be speaking grandfather, save your energy”. Putting the glass back on the table he turned to his grandfather again. “I apologise for taking so long to come. I missed you and..”

 

Shen grabbed his wrist before he could continue and looking at him right in the eyes spoke slowly but clearly. “There is no need to apologise, everyone I hold dear is here. I can't ask for anything else. Now listen well Bao, there is a wooden box inside my desk, everything inside is yours now. To open it you only need this.”

 

He said as he deposited the jade bracelet he always wore in Bao’s hand. “Take good care of him and everyone else Bao. Honor your name and your ancestors.”

 

Shen released his hand and closed his eyes.  “I shall always live in his memories and in your heart”.

 

“Grandfather? Grandfather!” At his yell both his mother and aunt enter the room quickly. The medic came soon after that and made the passing official. The funeral took place the next day. Bao felt slightly surprised by the amount of people attending the funeral and visiting the family house to pay their respects in the following week. Shen certainly had many friends and would be deeply missed.

 

After his grandfather's death  the pain was too great for him to remain in the house for long, so he said his goodbyes and returned to the capital.

 

The trip to the capital was uneventful and it let him think about his grandfather’s last words. Despite taking the box he couldn't bring himself to open it or put on the bracelet. Thinking back on everything his grandfather had lived he deemed himself not worthy of it.

 

Getting back to work was tiring and he didn't find much enjoyment in his daily tasks. He couldn't seem to bring himself to keep working on his book either. Not feeling like himself anymore he kept thinking about his grandfather and his old dream of traveling like he used to do.

 

A month later the decision was made. He resigned from his work and took care of what was needed for his departure. All in all preparations did not take more than a week. He would travel south, in the direction of the nearest port and decide where to go then.

Once he set sail there was no stopping Bao, traveling was like a balm to his soul. He spent the first few months mourning, but once the pain diminished he started to truly enjoy the trip, to make friends and to write again. He would settle for a couple of months from time to time but stayed mostly on the road. Weeks became months and months became years, soon seven years have passed since his departure. Apart from the occasional letter he didn't have much communication with his family, but he was painfully aware of all the missed birthdays, weddings, births and funerals. When the news of his youngest brother’s wedding reached him he knew it was time to go back home.

Now in standing in the front door of the family house after so long he felt anxious. “Come on Bao, you can do this, just open the door and go inside and…”

 

“Son? Is that you?” Startled, Bao turned around and found his father, who had closed the distance between them and enveloped him in a hug. “Thank the spirits you are back with us Bao, we missed you greatly”

 

Tears gathered in his eyes at the warm welcome. “Let's get you inside son, almost everyone is here for Wang’s wedding, I am sure they will be happy to see you”

 

Bao lost count of the hugs and kisses he received. He was surrounded by all his younger cousins, nephews and nieces.

 

“Come on little devils, settle down! If you do I promised you to tell you a story.” He went and sat on the garden and soon everyone settle around him.

 

“This is the story of the red dragon of the north, who was said to be able to become a woman and walk among the people…. “ The rest of the afternoon was spent sharing stories and enjoying the food. A few hours later he excused himself and retired for the night.

 

“Good to be home, right brother?” Wang was waiting for him outside his bedroom door. “I though you wouldn't be here. But we are all happy to have you back, are you staying for long?”

 

“A few weeks at least, then I plan to go to the capital and visit some friends over there.” Wang nodded and put a hand on his shoulder “Just don't be a stranger again Bao, visit us again soon”

 

“I will Wang, I promise”

 

“I will hold you to that. Goodnight brother”

 

“Good night”

 

He went inside his room and closed the door. Sitting in his bed, he grabbed the bag on it and pulled out a small box out of it. The box was hexagonal in shape, made out of wood and big enough to put a small piece of jewelry in it. Bao had made it years ago to keep his grandfather bracelet safe.  

 

“I am finally home grandfather, I was able to find myself on my travels and now I can be here again without feeling sadness or remorse”. He took the bracelet out of the box and started to follow the carved on it with his thumb. After some deliberation he put it on.

 

Immediately a bright light filled the room. Momentarily blind, Bao rubbed his eyes and blinked.

“Are you alright master?”

 

“Who is there?!” A floating turtle appeared on his line of vision, curious he examined it. “Did you just talk? How did you get here?”

 

“My name is Wayzz master. I am a kwami and I was sleeping inside my miraculous. When you accepted it and put it on I was finally awakened.” Slowly, Wayzz float closely to the man in front of him, trying not to scare him.

 

“Miraculous… you mean my grandfather's bracelet?” Bao looked down at the bracelet,  confused. “If you were sleeping in there, why you never appeared before? I have had this for almost seven years.”

 

“A kwami always appears before their chosen when they receive their miraculous unless the chosen rejects them. When that happens the kwami remains asleep. You must have rejected the miraculous unconsciously all these years”

 

He turned to look at the bracelet again and stayed silent for a few minutes. "Until now I never felt good enough to wear this". Taking a deep breath he looked at the little turtle. "Wayzz right? Tell me, what's a kwami and what exactly am I supposed to do with this?"

 

The next couple of hours Wayzz explained the story of the kwami and the meaning behind their existence and the duties of a guardian.

 

“... that is why when a miraculous user dies we are to go back to our miraculous until a new user is chosen. In his last moments my previous master chose you as the new guardian. He always saw great potential in you.”

 

"This is a lot to take in, is there anything else I need to know? It’s already late and I would like to sleep and rest before deciding what to do next." Bao was holding now a cup of tea, it was long past midnight but after Wayzz told him he needed food too, they had taken a break to get some snacks and tea from the kitchen.

 

"Just one more thing master. This is very important. During his latest travels master Shen was looking for the antidote of a potent venom. The only other miraculous active at the time, the peacock, was poisoned in the final battle against an ancient spirit twenty years ago and not only the holder, but the kwami was dying. Master Shen put the kwami to sleep without severing its bond to its holder, making it retreat to its miraculous so both holder and kwami won't die. After almost fifteen years we found a way to get rid of the poison, but the making of the antidote took a lot out of Master Shen and he died before awakening the kwami to administer the antidote. We must find them and finish the task"

 

Looking at the concern but decided face of his new companion Bao couldn't do anything but reassure the kwami, despite his own doubts about the task. "Don't worry Wayzz, we will find them and give them the antidote. Do you know where they could be now?".

 

"Dusuu's holder is a monk that goes by the name of Ji Gong. Last time we heard they were living at a temple in Hangzhou. "

 

"That's 3 weeks of travel from the capital. We will go there first. It will allow me to take care of some business and give us time to talk and get used to each other. Is that ok with you Wayzz?"

 

The turtle nodded its head in agreement. "A great idea master".

 

"It's settled then. We leave tomorrow, but for now let’s rest". Wayzz nodded and laid down on a pillow next to Bao’s. “Good night master Bao”

 

“Good night Wayzz”

 

In spite of the many doubts, questions and concerns about his next adventure, sleep came easily to Bao. Too tired after the events of the days to stay awake for longer.

 

The next few days passed in a blur.

 

“Are you ok with vegetable dumplings Wayzz? I don't think we have any of your favorites any more.”

 

“That will do for now master, thank you”

 

They stayed a couple of days after the wedding and two weeks at the capital.

 

“Did anybody else know about this Wayzz?”

 

“Only your grandmother. Secrecy is important, it keeps us safe but most guardians tend to have one or two persons who know at least part of the secret in case of emergency. You must choose carefully who you tell and how much.”

 

But wouldn't things be easier if there were more people to help in case of an “emergency” like this one? A group dedicated to this kind of task. He was gonna put some serious thought on that later. A month and a half had passed already and both kwami and guardian were on their way to Hangzhou.

 

“I have to pick a name then?”

 

“Most do but it's not mandatory. Master Shen never picked a name to go by but friends and enemies alike knew him as Lǚxíng wūguī. Ji Gong earned his name thanks to his exploits, and the last holder of the Ladybug miraculous was known as the Dragon of the North ”

 

“The traveling turtle uh? Sounds fitting for my grandfather. I think I would like to choose a name.”

 

“Very well master.”

 

The roads to Hangzhou were easy to travel but finding Ji Gong was another matter entirely. At the city everyone had a different story to tell about Ji Gong but no one was sure about his whereabouts. At the temple the official story was that Ji Gong’s health had decreased years ago and he had opted to retire to the mountains to live his last days in peace, surrounded by nature.

 

“Let’s review this again. The only thing I have to do is submerge the miraculous in this liquid until it goes back to its original color and give the other bottle to Ji Gong to drink right? No chanting, no magic works, no blood ritual or anything of that sort?”

 

“No, nothing of that sort. Just submerge the miraculous and give the bottle to Ji Gong…. Master I still don’t understand why all guardians always ask if their duties entail blood rituals and sacrifices. It’s most disturbing”

 

“Sorry Wayzz, we humans tend to overreact and have a rather wicked and flashy view of magic sometimes”

 

“I will keep that in mind Master”

 

Almost a week wandering in the wild with only Wayzz instincts to guide them they found a little stream of clear water and a path leading to a cottage, hidden by big leaves and tall trees.

 

“Wait, you mean to tell me all the stories grandfather told us where true?” Bao stopped walking towards the cottage and turned to look at Wayzz, who was sitting on his shoulder.

 

“The basis yes, If you want you can read another story from your book to me tonight and I could tell you the details Master Shen left out”

 

He beamed at the little turtle and kept walking. “Thank you Wayzz” Taking a deep breath he knock on the door and waited. Quiet footsteps could be heard and a moment later the door opened.

 

A man about forty with light brown eyes and the complexion of a sailor stood on the open door, hands behind his back and dressed as a monk. A confused expression adorned his face as he addressed them.

 

“Is rather odd to get visitors around here, is there anything I can do to help you find your way?” Bao was about to answer when he noticed his eyes, they look glazed over which meant he was most likely blind, he also had dark circles under it and his skin looked pale.

 

“You are Ji Gong right? We are lost no longer since we were looking for you. May we go inside? We would like to speak with you for a bit.”

 

A serious expression took over the confusion as the monk step aside and let them in. “Of course, come inside and take a seat. Would you like some tea? It’s the least I could offer you now that you have come all the way here”. Bao entered quickly and took a seat next to  va little table on the far corner of the cottage, the place didn't have much furniture or decorations but had an air of tranquility and coziness.

 

“No thank you, but some water would be nice. The journey here was tiresome but the views are amazing. These mountains are full of life.” Wayzz was silent during the whole exchange, opting for finding a nice place to rest for a bit and ending sitting at the window.

 

“That it is. Here you go. Now, why were you looking for me?”

 

Taking a sip of water Bao hesitate to find the right words before answering. “My name is Bao Wen, I am here to help you in the name of Guardian Lǚxíng wūguī. He found the antidote he was looking for before passing away almost eight years ago.” Here he hesitate for a bit, “I am here to introduce myself as the new guardian too and to apologize for taking so long to come.”

 

“Master Shen is dead? I was not aware of this, you must be his grandchild then, he often talked about you during his visits.” The monk drank some water, he could not believe what he was hearing and turned to look around trying to find the little turtle. “How did he die? Is Wayzz here?”

 

Knowing it would be difficult  for him to see him from far away Wayzz floated in front of him and addressed him. “I am here Ji Gong, Master Shen died making the antidote. He asked me to tell you not to feel guilty about it, for he had lived long and good, and he was happy to do this for you and Dusuu” At this point tears were falling from Ji Gong’s eyes. “We were both relieved and happy to find the antidote after so long, Master Shen’s death was an honorable one and I am happy to have had him as my Master and friend for so long.”

 

Overwhelmed by the news, the monk could only nod as he cried for both the death of his friend and mentor and the relief for the finding of the antidote. Bao put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed showing his support and Wayzz settle himself on his knee. “I will be eternally grateful for Master Shen’s sacrifice and dedication and I am extremely sorry for your loss”.

 

When Dusuu was brought out both Wayzz and Bao stifled a gasp. Comparing to the other miraculous, Dusuu’s looked old and rusty, like a cheap and bad preserved piece of jewelry. Bao went to work immediately, taking the miraculous and submerging it in the antidote, the second it touched the white liquid it started to sizzled, the rust dissolved, the original color was brought back and it look shiny again, brand new.

 

Meanwhile Ji Gong drank the other bottle with similar effects, he felt like cold water was running through his veins. His skin turned its normal color, his vision cleared, his throat and bones stopped hurting and he felt like he was twenty again.

 

“It worked! It worked!” Ji Gong hugged both Bao and Wayzz and thanked them profusely for a few minutes.

 

The next step was different. Now that the poison existed no longer it was time to wake Dusuu, to make sure he was alright. The process took less time and effort than expected, even a more difficult process would have been worth it though, seeing the joyful reunion between Dusuu and Ji Gong. As soon as Dusuu stopped hugging Ji Gong’s cheek he was tackled by an overjoyed Wayzz.

 

Ji Gong went to stand next to Bao, both remained silent while watching the kwamis dance and follow one another around the room. “Dusuu and I can't thank you enough for this. For almost 30 years we have been feeling the effects of the poison and I almost lost hope of ever overcoming this trial”

 

“I just wish I had come sooner. What will you do now Master Ji Gong?”

 

“Call me Li Xiuyuan, or just Li. That’s my given name, Ji Gong is the name I adopted as a monk and Dusuu’s holder. Regarding your question, I think I would like some time to reconnect with Dusuu, we may take to travelling around for a bit.”

 

“That sounds good to me. I will go back to the capital with Wayzz and take on my old job as a writer. If you ever need my help you can look for me there.”

 

“We will. Thanks again Master Bao”

 

A few weeks later two guardians and holders parted ways with the promise of seeing each other some time soon at the capital. Bao took back his job as a writer and in time opened a library in the capital.

 

The book with all the stories his grandfather once told him was finished with the help of Wayzz. His next big project took years to finish, a book depicting all past holders and the story of the miraculous. Many guardians and holders learned from it, and it was dearly missed when it got lost. Maybe, one day it will return to the hands of the guardians and holders.


	2. Gain and loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A miraculous is lost after a fight with a demon.

_ London, early 1900’s _

 

 

The explosion had been huge. One moment he was fighting a demon and the next he was flying out of the window, and crashing on the other side of the street, thanks to the force of the explosion. He was pretty sure the bastard was dead but still, it was a good idea to check the area once he was able to get out of the bed.

Talking about the bed, he had no idea where he was, but judging by the looks of it he was at a hospital. The room was dark, only barely illuminated by moonlight.

"You are finally awake Marco! I thought I lost you for a second there! I was so worried about you! Never do that again"

He tried to sit up but groaned when pain filled his body. "Fall out of a window? I make no promises Pollen"

"You shouldn't move, you are still healing. That fall was pretty nasty"

"It was. Last thing I remember is watching the building go up in flames and a hell lot of pain. How long was I out?"

"A couple of weeks. When you fell you had the suit still on but you still hit your head pretty hard."

"Does everyone know who I am now?"

"No, transformation fell a few seconds after you hit the ground but there is a... complication"

"What kind of complication?"

"When the transformation fell I hid in your bag to recharge. A few minutes later an ambulance arrived and they took of the comb to check on your head. I stayed hidden to avoid been seen. I was so worried I stayed with you the whole time, by the time I tried to get the comb back they had taken all your stuff, clothes and bag to another part of the hospital. I tried looking for it but couldn't find it."

"Don't worry about it Pollen. As soon as I get out of here we will find it.”

The doctors left him there for another week before he was deemed good enough to get out of the hospital.

"Thank you for bringing me this"  He said as he went through the process of checking his bag and clothes, addressing Johana, the nurse in charge of checking on him every now and then. "Just doing my job. But you are welcome" 

There wasn't much in his bag, a couple of sketchbooks, a few pencils, a little purse with a few coins in it and his old black jacket. "Miss I seem to be missing something?"

"What would that be mister Marco?" She asked with a hint of curiosity, checking one last time the papers for his release.

"A silver comb. I had it with me before the accident"

"Everything you had with you when we found you is in that bag, except for the food, if the comb is not there then you should ask Maurice. He was one of the paramedics who assisted you and the others caught in the explosion. Maybe he remembers what happened to it"

"Thank you miss. I will do that. Do you know where can I find him?"

You can ask the nurse at the front desk, she has a copy of all the shifts"

“Thank you again miss, for everything.”

"It was nothing mister Marco, you were a wonderful patient” 

A few hours later he was finally able to leave the hospital. All the nurses had been really helpful and in no time he was in front of a brick house, half an hour away from the hospital waiting for the door to open. When it did, a small, dark haired woman appeared on the threshold. She was wearing a purple apron and had a small cat in her hands.

"Good evening sir, how may I help you?"

"Good evening! My name is Marco . I was looking for Maurice Watson. I was in the accident on 5th Avenue a few weeks ago and wanted to thank him, and maybe talk with him for a bit. Is he around?"

"Yes, yes. My husband is taking tea in the living room. Come inside and wait here I'll be back in a second"

It didn't take long for the woman to come back and take him to the living room. Inside, in one of the corners of the room was who he assumed was Maurice, sitting by the window with a book on his lap, tea and biscuits next to him on a table. They exchanged pleasantries and after a brief chat -Marco did want to thank him for his help- he asked about the comb.

"I don't really remember seeing the comb but if it was on your person when they brought you in, it's really possible we made a mistake and put it with the belongings of the woman who was brought alongside you. Her name was Sarah."

"Do you know what happened to her or if she is still in the hospital?"

"She was hit with some of the debris from the explosion and was unconscious too, but woke up just a couple of days later. Moving was difficult for her though, she had some serious burns on her legs so the family requested we helped with transportation.” He took a sip of tea before continuing “Look kid, normally I wouldn't do this but that comb seems really important to you so I will give you her address "

"Thank you sir, you don't know how much this means to me"

Finding the address wasn't too difficult, and once they were close enough Pollen was able to confirm her miraculous was inside the house. For a moment he thought they had achieved the hardest part with relative ease, since finding a single comb lost in the vast city of London wasn't an easy feat. He was mistaken of course.

Sarah turned to be the youngest daughter of one of the most wealthy and overprotective men in London, so naturally when he tried to ask for her he was thrown to the streets and the door closed on his face.

He didn’t want to risk Pollen going there alone to get the comb, even if she suggested it and kept suggesting it after every failed attempt. He tried pretty much anything before giving in. He couldn’t stay too close or the guards around the house would spot him, already too familiar with him thanks to his failed attempts. So he sat on a bench in the park around the corner for almost two hours until two guards came to stand right in front of him, startling his musings.

“Sir, the lady has send for you.”

Confused beyond belief, but with nothing much left to lose he went with them. The house was even fancier on the inside. Dark wooden floors and beautiful art pieces everywhere. They let him to a small indoor garden full of flowers. In the middle was sitting a girl, no older than twenty, dressed in a light pink dress and drinking tea.

“The intruder is here as you requested my lady”

“Thank you, you may leave now.” The guard left the room but stayed in front of the glass door, far enough away not to hear anything but close enough to stop him if he tried anything, he noticed.  “Sir Marco Ramirez  right? Please take a seat”  

He did “May I ask why you asked for me my lady?”

“I think you already know. Your little friend gave me quite the scare you know? I am allergic to bees.”

“Oh? I'm deeply sorry about that” He couldn't help but imagine her, calling for her guards to kill the giant bee in her fancy room trying to sting her.

“Don’t be. She explained everything to me and I am really sorry for the confusion. The comb and the bee are in that box on the table. I have no desire to keep them but I do want to ask something from you” Marco was suspicious, most people would have kept the miraculous and refused to give it back, keen on having the power for themselves. 

“And what would that be?” He said as he reached for the box and opened it briefly, finding both miraculous and kwami in there. 

She smiled at him before answering. “Come back here sometime and tell me about your adventures. I love stories, and would love to hear more about yours if that is ok with you?” Surprised but pleased with her answer he agreed. Thanks to Pollen, she seem to already know about him so why not? 

Box safely inside his bag he smiled, and was pleased to see her cheeks flushing “I see no problem with that my Lady”

“Perfect! But please don't call me that. My friends call me Sarah”

“You may call me Marco then Sarah” 

It was a really unconventional way to start a friendship, but after an afternoon of exchanging stories and sharing jokes, he was really positive about this one. 


	3. The cost of winning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a battle a kwami retreats to its miraculous because of exhaustion. Then something unexpected happens.

Time was running out, he was 70% sure that the black sorceress was hidden inside one of those ships but there was no way of getting her out without causing a commotion.

 

“We are gonna have to go in there Plagg, there is no way of getting her out of there without losing her again”

 

“We could end up lost in the sea or dead in there. And if we manage to miraculously survive, you will have to still make it the whole trip there and back. You may never see your Victoria again”

 

Not taking his sight away from the ship he answered, an expression of anger and frustration on his face “I know! But if we don't… she is gonna escape and cause chaos in the new world, or hide again here and keep on murdering innocent children! I love Victoria more than anything Plagg but I can't take another five years of chasing after her and finding only bodies.”

 

He knew it may come to this. The moment the stupid turtle told him she had plans of boarding that ship. He spent the whole week mulling it over but the conclusion was always the same. He had to stop her even if it meant Victoria would end up marrying someone else and leaving the country if he wasn't there. He owed it to all the children that had died because of that woman.

 

“Mmmm… If you are sure”

 

He took a deep breath, fists unclenching when he realized he had started to hurt himself over it. “Yes, I am. Let's do this Plagg”

 

The battle had been surprisingly short but draining. It had started on the deck and finished on top of the main mast. The sorceress, after dying, had fallen from the mast into the water. He had de-transformed thanks to exhaustion halfway down. The last thing he remembered was Plagg going back into the ring, and a sharp pain in his head before everything went black.

 

When he awakened a week later, he had been informed of the accident. Everyone was surprised he had survived with just one broken leg and immediately started to ask him what he was doing there and why had he fallen. To everyone’s utter bewilderment and his own consternation he wasn't able to recall the accident. In fact he wasn't able to recall anything at all, not even his own name. 

 

He spent the rest of the trip confined to the infirmary, waiting for his leg to heal and trying to remember something, anything. The only thing he achieved was to remember his ring was extremely important to him but not why (maybe a family hairloom?). Nothing else.

When they finally arrived at their destination the first thing he saw was the moon and stars and was surprised by the amount of green he could see. Miles and miles of forest. 

 

The ship was supposed to stay for a month before going back but he couldn't seem to bring himself to board when it left. Somehow he felt that what ever reason he could have for returning was already lost.

 

Making a life for himself wasn't extremely difficult, he was hired by the church to help teach the natives how to speak spanish. He ended up loving teaching, especially the children. 

 

With time he stopped thinking about what he could not remember and started focusing on the present. He stopped puzzling over the silver ring, took it off and hide it in a small box he always had on his person but never opened it again. He fell in love with a beautiful and intelligent woman, her name was Quetzaly and she was a slave.

 

Seven years he worked hard until he finally got enough money to buy her and free her. When it was finally done both of them cried until they couldn't any more. A year later Ixchel was born, named after the the mayan goddess of the moon.

 

Ixchel grew and thrive. She was beyond curious and had a natural talent for medicine, studying with the local priest she learned all there was to know about plants and remedies. She was both loved and feared for her knowledge. 

 

When she was twenty five her father died. In his last breath he gave her a single box with a silver ring inside “The only thing I could remember when I came here was that this was important. I want you to have it Ixchel. Take good care of it” 

 

When she opened it days later she was more than happy to indulge the little cat that came with it. She had been taught to honor and respect the Gods and she was not gonna stop now just because this one came out of a ring and was quite little. Especially after he started talking. 

 

The stories and legends he told her. All that knowledge and power inside such a little being. With his help she started protecting the forest and her people. She became B’alam, the black jaguar, protector of the forest and the river. 

 

“When I was a child I once had a dream. I was running through the forest and the moon was high in the sky. Suddenly a black jaguar appeared by my side, we ran together until we were one, we ran until we reached the edge of the forest and then ran some more, through the ocean and the mountains.” Ixchel rarely talked, and when she did it was always with a purpose, so Plagg listened, curious to know about where this was going. 

 

“The priestess said it was my nahual, showing me my path and that one day I would know the meaning behind it all. Lately I have been having the same dream again”

 

“Do you know what it means now?”

“Yes. A ship arrived two weeks ago, it sails tomorrow back to Spain. I think is time we cross the ocean and visit this temple in the mountains you speak of”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. My mother no longer lives and my brothers no longer need me. It’s time to take you home Plagg.”

 

“Let me tell you of all the awful ways we could die in the sea then”

 

“You are such a charmer Plagg”

 

“I know right?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> B’alam means jaguar/cheetah/tiger in kakchiquel, a native language from Guatemala.


	4. Re-birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A miraculous is broken.

Stone Flower design and repair shop was always packed on afternoons such as this one. The little shop, run by a man named Amare, often had little workshops to teach those willing to learn the art of crafting and repairing all kinds of jewelry. Despite it’s size and the fact it was somewhat new, it was one of the most prestigious jewelry shops, not just for the general public but for the not so known world of the magi and the occult in South Africa.

 

Today though, it was strangely empty, so Amare busied himself by sketching new pieces in one of his notebooks until the bell at the entrance chimed. A person, who he assumed was a woman, draped in a cloak came inside. She looked around until she spotted him and hurried to him. 

 

“Excuse me, are you Master Amare?” Now that she was close he could see her features better. A woman in her early thirties, black skin and green hair. A mask around her unnatural green eyes. Her overall appearance confirmed this one was gonna be one of his  _ unusual  _ customers _. _

 

“I am, yes. What can I help you with today?” She took a moment to answer, surely trying to decide if he could be trusted or not. “My necklace is broken and I was wondering if you could repair it.” 

 

“Let me see it child” She passed him the necklace, still unsure. 

 

“Ah, yes. There is a really deep crack in here.” The necklace seem to made out of jade, shaped in the form of a serpent. “Could you tell me how it broke?” 

 

_ The battle with the shapeshifter had been nasty, her venom seemed to do nothing to him, so she turned to her old daggers and her fists to subdue him. Her physical condition wasn't that good and in the end she wasn't able to avoid the shifter’s last hit, which landed right on her miraculous.  _

 

_ It wasn’t a problem at first, until she realized the blow had been hard enough to break the necklace, preventing her from detransforming, even if she took off the jewel. _

 

“I was in fight a few weeks ago” The man looked at her dead in the eyes, as if trying to decide whether she was being sincere or not. Finally he nodded and kept on examining the necklace

 

“Some nasty fight that must have been.” He stayed silent for a couple of minutes before addressing her again. “Have you tried to fix this before?”

 

“Yes, a friend suggested a few chants and spells but it did nothing to it. He remembered hearing from you before so I came here.”

 

_ Ayana watched as Faraji, hands glowing green, finished chanting his latest spell on her necklace. After he finished both held their breath for a few seconds, waiting for something to happen, when it became clear nothing would, both sighed and flopped down on the nearest couch. “And that was the last one. I don't know any other healing spell Inyoka.” _

 

_ “Should we start trying potions?” _

 

_ “No, I’m afraid of something going wrong if we do. Potions were never our strongest suit growing up sister.” _

 

_ “What do we do now then? I can hardly go around the rest of my days like this! And my kwami! My poor kwami Faraji! This is such a mess” _

 

_ “I know but… maybe there is a way. Yesterday I heard an interesting rumour…”  _

 

He nodded and hummed, eyes still fix on the necklace “Yes, I can see the residual magic from the spells. Those didn’t repair it but prevented it from suffering further damage. I know it looks bad but… I think I can fix it Lady Inyoka.”

 

“You know who I am?” She asked concern. 

 

“I know of you, yes, as many involved in the world of the occult do. Now, back to the problem at hand, I think the best way to fix your necklace is to use Kintsugi”

 

“And that is…?

 

“Kintsugi is the japanese art of repairing something broken, usually pottery, with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise or get rid of.”

 

“According to your shop’s advertisement there are many other methods, why this one in particular?”

 

“If this were any other piece I could use one of the common methods. But I can feel the little being inside the necklace and I don't wish to harm it. It could have some side-effects but it is the safest one” He saw her flinch when he mentioned the little one inside but saw how she made her mind up the moment he talked about safety.

 

“How long will it take for you to repair it?”

 

“Come back tomorrow at the same time and I will have it ready for you.” The process was tedious but hopefully wouldn't take much time.

 

“Payment?” He mulled it over for a bit before answering. “This friend of yours, he seemed to be pretty skilled at spell casting. If he can lend me his skills for an afternoon and work with me on a couple of pieces, we will be even.”

She nodded. “We will be here tomorrow then, thank you” She left the shop but he was sure she was still nearby. He put the necklace in a box and closed shop, he had work to do.

 

As he thought, the work was tedious and took longer than expected; he stayed up until the early ours of the morning and after a well deserved coffee he gave it the finishing touches. Overall, he was more than happy with his work, he was sure the Lady Inyoka would be too.

 

A few hours later in she came, alongside a young man maybe a few years older than her, who screamed ‘I am magic and powerful’ but had a really gentle smile.

 

“Welcome back my Lady, your necklace has been repaired. Please follow me, I have it in the back.” He led them through a door with the sign ‘Employees only’ on it and directed them to a small table in the back of the room and motioned them to sit. “This is my personal workshop, make yourselves comfortable while I retrieve the necklace ” 

 

Transfixed, he saw her take the box and pull the piece out of it. Her fingers tracing the place where the crack used to be, now filled with his personal mixed of gold and  _ something else. _ When she finally put it on, he had to close his eyes. The green and gold lights coming from it too intense to keep them open. When he was able to see again he smiled, the once green necklace was now silver, the streaks of gold still in place. And there stood the same beautiful woman, no longer dressed in shades of green, with hair as black as the night holding in her hands a little green snake with what he was sure, were new golden markings.

 

The man came to stand beside him while she fussed over the little one. “Master Amare? My name is Faraji and I can't thank you enough for what you've done, but it has come to my understanding that you are in need of a spell caster?”

 

“That I am, I must show you some of the pieces I have been working on here, but for now let's give them some space.” 

 

“That is a great idea, perhaps you can show me some of the pieces you have in the front?”

 

“Of course, in fact, I think I have a few pieces you will like” Both of them spared one last glance to the woman before getting out of the room. It would take her another hour to finally get out too, meanwhile they busied themselves within the shop and waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Name meanings  
> Amare - One who builds  
> Inyoka - Serpent in Zulú  
> Faraji - Solace  
> Ayana - beautiful blossom


	5. Lost and found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A miraculous gets stolen… kinda.

Despite being raised among rice fields and deep forests, Ren's dislike for nature was widely know. He had gotten lost in the forest once when he was 10 and never tried to explore it again. His family moved to Tokyo shortly after, when the nightmares and panic attacks became too much. The one good thing that came out of that was the hummingbird pin he found in the forest.

 

_ He was oh so very tired and a fever was starting to set after a week of wandering around in the wild. He sat on the floor, too exhausted to do anything else, that's when he spotted it. Two feet away from him he could see something on the forest soil, mostly covered by mud and leaves, but still visible enough.  Curious, he moved a bit and grabbed it, the moment he did light came out of it blinding him momentarily, when he could finally see again a humminbird was flying in front of his eyes. _

 

_ When he saw her he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "You are pretty" _

 

_ "Why thank you, wish I could say the same but you look like you fell down a tree. Several times" _

 

_ He passed out from the shock but made it out of there with Coquette's help, and still wore her pin fifteen years later _ .

 

History had a nasty habit of repeating itself. The first time Ren got lost in the forest he did it because he went in too deep, looking for a plant to prepare his mother a healing tea. This time around he traveled with much reluctance to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where a famous sorcerer resided, to ask for a healing salve for his mother.

 

The last five days he had combed the forest from the air, extremely glad he didn't have to go into the forest thanks to Coquette and then the monkey happened.

 

_ "Is good to know you finally saw reason! We both need a break after all that flying. And it would be a shame we came all the way over here and didn't enjoy the water." _

 

_ Ren raised an eyebrow but didn't looked up from his book to look at the kwami, he already knew she was in front of the mirror, making sure her feathers looked good. "You are saying that just because you want time to prime yourself" _

 

_ "Of course I do! I am a hummingbird, I have to look always beautiful! You should feel glad you get to appreciate such majestic bird every day." _

 

_ He chuckled at that "Of course I'm glad Coquette. Are you ready? We should get going if we want to find a nice spot" _

 

_ Ten minutes later they left the room. It didn't take long to find a nice, secluded spot in the hot spring at the hotel. They stayed until Ren looked like a raisin and were in the process of retrieving their things when it happened. _

 

_ A monkey, no bigger than a small dog silently approached them and took the miraculous. When Ren noticed, the monkey was already on the other side of the hot spring, pin tightly grasped in his fingers and jumping up and down, an expression of amusement on its face. 'Come and get me if you want it back' it seem to be saying. before he jumped to the other side of the fence. _

 

Scarcely dressed, and with no way of contacting anyone for help he had jumped the fence too. and without giving much thought to it he ran into the forest after the monkey. He followed the monkey through the forest until the sun was high in the sky and his stomach rumbled, empty for missing breakfast and lunch. The first few hours he was so focused on getting his miraculous back he didn't realize just how deep he went into the forest.

 

He had no idea where he was and he could no longer transform and fly to safety. His heart started to beat really fast -like a hummingbird, he thought- and bile rose high into his throat. He sat on the forest floor, legs too weak to keep standing.

 

A few meters forwards he could hear barely hear the damn monkey, jumping up and down on the tree, and his kwami's voice, trying to grab his attention.

 

"Come on Ren, focused on my voice. We are gonna be ok, take deep breaths. Yes, like that. In and out. In and out".

 

It took him a bit but he managed to calm down. Eyes closed and face turn to the sky he took one more deep breath before addressing the kwami.

 

"I hate this forest Coquette"

 

"Me too Ren, me too"

 

"Is the monkey still there?"

 

"Yes, it stayed near us the whole time. I don't think it’s gonna move unless we follow it." He nodded and opened his eyes, immediately spotting the monkey, who was watching him from the trees. "How much do you wanna bet that is not a normal monkey?"

 

"Nothing, because it isn't"

 

They kept following the monkey well into the night, until it let them through a series of oddly shaped trees and into a small clearing. Coquette hid the moment it came into view.

 

Right in the middle stood an old looking house, traditional in style and surrounded by a beautiful garden. What surprised him the most though was the woman sitting at the entrance, petting the monkey he had been following the whole day. The damn thing still had his miraculous in its little fingers. He approached cautiously, not wanting to scare the monkey, until he was in hearing distance from the woman, who was talking with the monkey. She looked like she was in her late thirties, her hair was dark and her skin really pale.

 

"Thank you for your help Chu, you can give him back his pin now." The monkey left her side quickly and ran until it was in front of him, holding out the pin for him to take. He took it quickly and put it on, afraid of the monkey changing it's mind before he could grab the pin. As soon as he took it, the monkey went into the forest again, leaving him alone with the woman.

 

When he looked at her he couldn't help but notice her eye color; one was pink as a cherry blossom petal and the other was as green as the moss growing in the trees. He felt no malicious intent coming from her so he approached,

 

"Welcome to my garden Ren, I am sorry for stealing your pin but I had to find a way to bring you to me." 

 

"I don't want to be rude but... who are you exactly?"

 

"My name is Midori, I'm the sorceress of this forest. The monkeys told me you were looking for me, but you wouldn't have been able to find me from the air."

 

"That's why you sent that monkey to steal my miraculous"

 

"Yes, and I hope you can forgive me for that. I saw no other way since I am bound to this garden for the time being."

 

He was aware of her situation, a young sorceress cursed to reside in this forest for five hundred years because she betrayed the shogun to save her lover. One of his cousins was a descendant of the woman and he had told him to look for her when his mother had fallen ill again. "It was not an enjoyable experience but I'll live"  _ After a few months of therapy that is. _

 

She seemed like she wanted to apologize again but in the end she didn't "Would you mind coming inside? I already have the salve and herbs you came here for ready."

 

"Thank you" He followed her into the house, more relaxed now that he could feel the familiar weight of the pin on his chest and the buzzing sound of Coquette's wings in his pocket.

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic is a response for the Miraculous Bigbang of 2017! Last few months I had the honor to work with the amazing writer overworkedunderwhelmed and the incredible beta orangepockets. Go check "Enduring", the work that inspired this one, asap!


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